North launched missile but failed

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US and South Korean forces say North Korea fired a missile on Wednesday morning, but that the launch appears to have been unsuccessful.

The US Pacific Command said the missile was launched from Wonsan in eastern North Korea at 7:19 AM local time on Wednesday. It added that the missile appears to have exploded within seconds.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the missile exploded in midair soon after the launch.

South Korea’s defense ministry said the launch took place near an airport in Wonsan (NHK)

South Korea’s defense ministry said the launch took place near an airport in Wonsan. It added that the South Korean military is analyzing the launch to determine the missile’s type.

A US State Department official told NHK that the country will urge North Korea to stop provocative acts that undermine peace and stability.

On February 12th, North Korea test-fired a ground-based medium-range ballistic missile near Kusong in the northwestern province of Pyongan-pukdo into the Sea of Japan. The missile was an upgraded version of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.

On March 6th, it launched 4 missiles almost at the same time from Tongchang-ri in Pyongan-pukdo toward the Sea of Japan. Three of the missiles — believed to include the Scud-ER type with a range of 1,000 kilometers — fell into Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

North Korea strongly opposes the ongoing US-South Korea joint military exercise that began in South Korea on March 1st.

The US and South Korean forces are stepping up caution and monitoring of the North’s moves, as the country is to mark major anniversaries next month.